Geodetic Engineering: Lecture 3 - Map Design Process - Photocopy Process

Map Design Process

• Xerography is a successful duplication system developed by Xerox Corporation of America.

Duplication and Reproduction

• Micrographics is a dry process that does not involve chemical solutions.
• It reduces the space needed for storing maps, making record keeping more efficient and protecting original map manuscripts from wear and tear.
• Microfilm is available in rolls, film mounted aperture cards, and microfiche.

Stenciling

• Stenciling is an inexpensive duplicating system.
• The map is drawn on a stencil sheet with a wax coating on both sides.
• Drawings, letterings, and other map details are cut into the stencil by hand with a stylus or by the keys of a typewriter.

Direct Contact Positives

• The drawing is placed face-up on printing paper sensitized with light-sensitive diazo compounds and exposed to sunlight or ultraviolet lights.
• It is not possible to enlarge or reduce when making direct contact diazo prints.

Direct Contact Negatives

• The map manuscript is laid next to iron-sensitized paper and exposed to sunlight or special lights for a specified period.
• The exposed sheet is then developed in a bath of water, which can cause some distortion.
• A weak solution of caustic soda is used when making alterations on blueprints, and it can be used as an ink to produce white lines.

Photocopy Process

• The photocopy process is used to obtain a relatively few inexpensive copies of a prepared map manuscript.
• It yields a print in negative form on sensitized paper without the necessity of any intermediate film step.
• It involves the exposure of the original drawing on a map through the lens directly to the sensitized paper.

Film Photograph Process

• A camera is used to make an exposure of the original map or drawing on photographic film.
• Photography for cartography purposes is usually done with a copy camera that can make precise enlargements and reductions and can utilize large sheets of film.
• The photographic process produces high-quality copies at desired sizes on dimensionally stable materials, making it suitable for map compilation.

Learn about the photocopy process in map design, which produces prints in negative form on sensitized paper without the use of an intermediate film step. Explore the steps involved in exposing the original drawing on a map during this process.